Tag Archives: St. Louis Blues

Apr 30

NHL Playoffs: Western Conference First Round Predictions That Will No Doubt Be Proven Wrong

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Well it’s the most wonderful time of the year once more!!! That’s right the NHL playoffs are starting up once more! It’s hard not to get in the spirit of excitement  especially after thinking that we may not see playoff hockey until 2014. So of course it means one things: baseless predictions! Myself, my hetero-life-mate Troy, and a 2002 Two Dollar Canadian coin I found in a pile will be making predictions for the playoffs. In addition to providing fool-proof (and most certainly wrong) predictions for each series we’ll also provide a simple tag-line to help you remember this series among all the others and a primer for the refrain that you’ll be hearing about this series going forward.

In this post we’re going to look at the left half of the continent as we preview the Western Conference. This year everyone seems to be counting on the Chicago Blackhawks who dominated the regular season, but there are still last years surprise champion Kings waiting in the wings, and let’s not forget rising teams in the Ducks, Wild, and Blues. Of course the Sharks, Cancuks, and Red Wings aren’t dead yet, and could still put up a hell of a fight. The Western Conference has traditionally been very unpredictable, so expect the unexpected…which I guess means that the expected will be unexpected, which you should have been expecting all along!

…alright I gave myself a headache there, let’s get to it.

 

#1 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS vs. #8 MINNESOTA WILD

The Midwest Massacre

 

Glen Says: This will be an absolute curb-stomping. The Blackhawks have been the best team in the league from the opening puck drop. They went half the season without losing in regulation and have been in control of the President’s Trophy since then. The Wild struggled a bit at the start of the season, peaked in the middle, then struggled to close down the stretch, which made them finish in the dreaded 8th seed. Even if the top talent on the Wild play to their potential, they just can’t match the depth of the Hawks. This series should be quick and painful for the state of Minnesota. However, once the Wild’s young talent like Brodin and Granlund actualize in the next few years this could be one of the league’s next great rivalries. But next doesn’t mean today.

Blackhawks in 4

Troy Says: Let’s see….a team that went a billion games in a row without losing a game in regulation versus a team that barely beat the crappiest team in the league on the last day of the season to barely sneak into the playoffs. I don’t think there’s much to talk about with this one folks. This series should basically just be a warm up for the Hawks. Serves Minny right too because they eliminated Columbus who has a goalie with easily the coolest last name ever….Bobrovsky.

For poops and giggles I’ll say the Wild win one game.

Hawks in 5.

Coin Says: Hawks in 5

Expect to Hear: ”Just a reminder, despite not playing in several weeks the Blackhawks are still in the playoffs…”

#2 ANAHEIM DUCKS vs. #7 DETROIT RED WINGS

The Reason for Realignment

Glen Says: The Red Wings must be so thrilled that they not only avoided Chicago in the first round, but also avoided Vancouver, LA, and really any other elite team in the West. The Ducks had a very good regular season but are clearly punching above their weight class with the second seed. Even though they clearly miss the greatest defenseman of the generation they still have some weapons to through out. Expect to see Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry wearing red sweaters that vaguely resemble Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. This will be the Wings last playoff run in the Western Conference and I don’t expect it to end all that quickly. Plus we really need one more Detroit-Chicago series for old times sake

Red Wings in 6

Troy Says: How weird was it coming down the stretch and actually thinking that there was a chance Detroit might not make the playoffs? It’s just a given that they’ll be in. In the end it took a gritty effort from the Wings to pull it together and even still it was Zetterberg who put this team in his back and got the job done. There is no shortage of pure talent on this team but the same can be said of Anaheim. Perry, Getzlaf, Ryan. These guys are good. I’m really not sure which way to go with this series. Even though it’s a 2 vs 7 series it really doesn’t feel like it. Especially after Detroit picked up their socks at the end of the season and really started to play well. My gut though is telling me Anaheim is coming out of this series.

Ducks in 7.
Coin Says: Ducks in 7

Expect to Hear: “Ten years ago the 7th seed Ducks swept the 2nd seed Red Wings and somehow that’s still relevant”

#3 VANCOUVER CANUCKS vs. #6 SAN JOSE SHARKS

Slackers of the World Unite!

 

Glen Says: This series has all kinds of intrigue as we see the two teams that have been unfairly cast as underachievers for the better part of the past decade. Of course back-to-back Conference final appearances by the Leafs in the 90s was considered a dynasty and fifteen playoff wins for the Oilers and Flames was considered spectacular, but I digress. These two teams both have the world to prove and both coaches are most certainly playing for their jobs here. As with all things Canucks, goaltending is the most interesting facet and should be fascinating to watch playout in this series. Of course Schneider is hurt and Luongo was hung out to dry in the last game of the season. Expect it to be a massive distraction, still though the Canucks have really found their game of late and appear to be healthy and rolling and should win a very close series.

Canucks in 7

Troy Says: This is another tough series to call. Vancouver is not the same team that made it to the cup final in 2012 but San Jose traded two of their toughest players this year at the deadline in Clowe and Murray. They’re going to miss those guys when the puck drops in the playoffs. Although a lot is still expected of the Canucks the expectations are nowhere near as high as in the years leading up to their run in 2011 and I actually think that could benefit them here. It may allow them to play more of their game. If they get the kind of goaltending they need from either Schneider or Luongo then they’ll be a serious threat.

Canucks in 6.
Coin Says: Sharks in 5

Expect to Hear: ”We lost 2-1, it’s clearly Luongo’s fault!”

#4 ST. LOUIS BLUES vs. #5 LOS ANGELES KINGS

Seriously, They Played Last Year…We Promise

 

Glen Says: I put this as one of the five most intriguing potential series the other day and I stand by it. These teams match up very well against one another. They both have incredible defensemen, a lot of depth up front, options in net, and great coaches that love a defense-first game. In short, these two teams are both made for the playoffs. In my opinion the winner of this will make it out of the Western Conference much to the shock of the Chicago Blackhawks. Since 2003, the Stanley Cup Champions have had a series record of 4-7 with three of those series wins coming from the 2009 Detroit Red Wings, so let’s go with that easy narrative here.

Blues in 7

Troy Says: Hard to count out the defending champs. They’ve already proven they can handle the pressure and that they have what it takes. St. Louis is a team that has been on the rise for a number of years and they’re finally starting to see the fruits of their labour in a strong way. Add into the mix the skills of Jay Bouwmeester who will finally never have to answer questions about never having been in the playoffs and the Blues are a team on the verge of making some noise. As much of a cliché as it is, this series is probably going to come down to goaltending. Last year the Kings shelled Elliot in their series against the Blues but on the other hand there has been a significant drop off in Jonathan Quick’s play as compared to last year so it’s a tough call.  Interesting to note that these teams have met three times in the playoffs and each time it’s been a sweep. I’m going to go with my gut again and take LA.

Kings in 7

Coin Says: Blues in 4

Expect to Hear: ”Who will be the this years version of last years Kings? This years Blues or this years Kings?”

QUICK HITS

As a bonus for fun, we’ll try and suss out the next few rounds, mostly so people can say how wrong we were…
Just a reminder that in the NHL second round teams are reseeded, the highest remaining team plays the lowest remaining team.
Glen Says:

#1 Chicago Blackhawks over Detroit Red Wings in 5

#4 St. Louis Blues over #3 Vancouver Canucks in 6

#4 St. Louis Blues over #1 Chicago Blackhawks in 6

 

Troy Says:

#1 Chicago Blackhawks over #5 Los Angeles Kings in 6

#2 Anaheim Ducks  over #3 Vancouver Canucks in 7

 

#1 Chicago Blackhawks over #2 Anaheim Ducks in 5

 

Coin Says:

#1 Chicago Blackhawks over #6 San Jose Sharks in 6

#4 St. Louis Blues over #2 Anaheim Ducks in 6

 

#1 Chicago Blackhawks over #4 St. Louis Blues in 7 (with a 3-0 comeback no less!)

 

…Troy clearly copied the coin on this one!

Come back tomorrow to see the East. Will anyone stop the Penguins? Are the Capitals finally clicking? What about the All-Canadian matchup that no one asked for. Come back to find out!
Apr 20

NHL Playoff Matchups: 5 Most and Least Interesting Possibilities

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The NHL season is quickly winding down as teams finish out there final four or five games. The playoff picture seems to be coming clear. With it, it’s hard not to get excited for some of the possibilites. Sure we won’t get a Flyers-Penguins matchup again, but there are still some interesting possibilites.

In this post we’ve gone through the different possibilities and are only going to be looking at the ones that have a higher than 20% chance according to Sports Club Stats and are calculated before Saturday’s games.. When considering “interesting” we have a few criteria here namely historical rivalry, even match-up, and intriguing storyline.

The Least Interest Match-ups: With all due respect to these teams and athletes, these five matchups would probably be at the bottom of the priority list.

Honourable Mention:

Boston Bruins vs. New York Islanders – Can a series end in three?

Washington Capitals vs. Ottawa Senators – Capital series…I guess

Vancouver Canucks vs. St. Louis – Would the underdogs be the favourites?

#5. Los Angeles Kings vs San Jose Sharks

Probability of Occurring: 22.2%

Sure these two have the very manufactured “Battle of California” thing going on, and sure they had a fun series a few years back but things are very different. Since then the Sharks have declined and the Kings have improved leaps and bounds. Even though this series would be a 4-5 matchup, it would be a clear curb-stomping. The Kings outmatch the Sharks in virtually every category, especially grit and clutch, which are the two most important things in the playoffs.

#4. Washington Capitals vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

Get ready for a lot of this at both ends of the ice

Probability of Occurring: 23.1%

If the Leafs continue their little slide and the Caps keep their charge, this series could be quite likely as the 3-6 matchup in the East. Oddly these two teams have never met in the playoffs, which is a little strange considering how long they have both been around for. These two squads both have goaltenders who are young and looking to prove that they are for real. Of course that could be an interesting storyline, but a series victory for either Holtby or Reimer wouldn’t go too far towards proving anything, just that they were less terrible than the other one. Although it would be kind of fun to watch the winner of this series get eaten alive by either Boston or Pittsburgh in the second round.

#3. Chicago Blackhawks vs. Dallas Stars

Probability of Occurring: 23%

These two teams had some interesting series back when one team had the word “North” in their name but those days are long gone. Not only have they never met in the playoffs since the team arrive in Texas, but they haven’t even made the playoffs in the same year since 1997 when both teams lost in the first round. But more importantly, the Stars would be total killjoys for the Hawks more interesting possible opponents (see below).

#2. Anaheim Ducks vs. Minnesota Wild

Probability of Occurring: 54.2%

If you forgot that this series occurred in 2007 then congratulations, you may be a member of the Anaheim Ducks or Minnesota Wild. Of course their 2003 Battle of Cinderella Western Conference final is slightly more memorable, but is still the least discussed series from the (then Mighty) Ducks miracle run that year. These two teams have some good high end talent and there’s probably an Olympic preview to be discussed as Parise and Sutter take on Getzlaf and Perry, but to imagine a team in Southern California playing for Canadian pride sounds just plain wrong. By my math this is the most likely scenario to occur, and both teams seem to be limping into the playoffs, so expect one of these teams to limp a little longer and give one of the real-deals in the West a bit of a break in the next round.

#1. Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators

Probability of Occurring: 20.4%

He totally deserved that for costing us a Leafs-Habs series

Please Ottawa, don’t screw this up. You know what we all want, take a dive if you have to, playing the Capitals won’t be so bad. Full disclosure time, the main reason I don’t want this is because I’m a Sens fan. Most of Canada forgets that we’re even an actual hockey team, I don’t want them to start hating us for denying them the dream series.

Of course this means that it’s totally going to happen now…

The Most Interest Match-ups: If these ones happen get ready to call in sick.

Honourable Mention:

Vancouver Canucks vs. San Jose Sharks - Battle of Underachievers totally writes itself

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers - Henrik Lundqvist could sure make this one interesting

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Islanders - Remember all of those fights from a few years back? They sure don’t!

#5. Chicago Blackhawks vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

Probability of Occurring: 23%

Sure it would be a slaughter, sure it’s unlikely, but hot-damn it’s hard not to get excited about #Lumbus right now and for all intents and purposes, this is their only real possible opponent. Although it may be a little sad to realize that in life David doesn’t beat Goliath.

#4. Los Angeles Kings vs. St. Louis Blues

Probability of Occurring: 23.8%

Please sir may I have some more…

Their second round meeting last year seems like an eternity ago, doesn’t it? The Blues were a team that came out of nowhere to finish second in the conference while the Kings, considered early season contenders, fell off most people’s radars and got hot at the right time, much to the Blues chagrin. If there is any team that has a chance to be a surprise-but-not-really in the West it’s the Blues. They were considered strong contenders to do some damage out West before the season started but some early struggles have them in the middle of the pack instead of the top, where they perhaps belong. If they get going, watch out. If there’s one team that they would love to get going against, it’s the guys that beat them last year and hoisted the silver. Sure the hockey could be boring, but the story-lines would be fun to watch.

#3. Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

Probability of Occurring: 27.2%

“THANK YOU KESSEL!” *clap clap clap clap clap*

Sure it would be a slaughter, but damn would it be fun to watch the Toronto media find someone to blame for all those games that Seguin, Hamilton, and Raask steal. Expect the lines in the papers to change from “Haven’t made the playoffs since 2004″ to “Haven’t won a playoff game since 2004″.

#2. Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings

Probability of Occurring: 39%

Sorry Columbus, but this is a more interesting matchup. With the Red Wings moving eastward, this could be the last time that we see this series for a very, very, long time. These two have the fourth most frequent showdown of any playoff pairings in the NHL history and it would be a nice thing for the fanbases to get a bit of closure before they’re ripped apart from one another. Oh and NBC would love it too…

#1. Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

This rivalry runs deep…

Probability of Occurring: 32%

If Canada is looking to quash it’s reputation for being docile, this is the best way to do it. A playoff matcup between these two venerable franchises that have deep cultural and historic ties in the country in the Twitter Age will see nothing but hatred and venom get thrown around. We may see a Canadian civil war start over this.

Please, please, please, this needs to happen, it’s hard not to get excited over the essays that this series will start, the Sharks-Jets like turf war that’ll brew all across the country, and the downright dirty plays that we’ll see on the ice.

Of course, if anyone can screw it up it’ll be the Leafs. Lord knows they don’t even give their own fan base what they want, why would they care about the rest of us?

Jan 21

Western Conference Predicted Standings

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After posting picks for the East yesterday it’s time to look to the Wild Wild West. Last year the eight seed went out and crushed the Top 3 teams en route to winning the Cup, previous stalwarts like Detroit, Vancouver, San Jose, and Chicago all bowed out in the first round, and other squads like Minnesota, Dallas and Edmonton are looking to make some noise. As usual the Western Conference will be in a complete state of flux, and with such a short season it should be even stranger.

The predicted standings are…

15. Columbus Blue Jackets: Let’s start with the closest thing that we have to a sure fire prediction. This team was terrible last year and then went out and traded away their player netting very little back in return. Hopefully they actually win the draft lottery this year and end up with Seth Jones or Nathan McKinnon to help reinvigorate this incredibly struggling franchise before they become the Markham Blue Jackets!

14. Calgary Flames: The Flames have been one of the most consistent teams since the last lockout, consistently mediocre that is. For years they have been a lock to be penciled into the amorphous 7-12 spot in the West. This year things could finally come off the rails as their core keeps getting older, their big additions of Hudler and Wiedeman have “Boumeester Part II” written all over them, and the series of back-to-backs do not favour a workhorse like Kiprusof. The most interesting thing about this squad wil be to see if they actually trade Iginla this year.

13. San Jose Sharks: Sacrilege I know! This team was remarkably good for the better part of a decade, but their time may be up. Last year they finished 7th in the West and looked terrible in the playoffs. They made no noticeable additions in the summer and like Calgary, their core has passed their prime. The short season may drag on too long for this team.

12. Anaheim Ducks: Last season it looked like SuperPerry returned to earth after being dominant the year before. While the dynamite Getzlaf-Perry-Ryan trio is too good to be as horrible as they were last year, it doesn’t seem likely that any of them will be able to will this team into the playoffs like they did in 2011. Both Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are free agents at year end, and if the Ducks give up and trade both of them, expect this team to be competing with Columbus for the Conference basement.

11. Colorado Avalanche: How on earth can this team give P.A. Parenteau $4 million and play hardball with Ryan O’Reiley? It just boggles the mind here! This team made some noise late last season and Varlamov was tearing up the KHL during the lockout, so don’t expect them to be terrible, but they won’t be able to compete with the other up and coming Western Conference teams just yet.

10. Dallas Stars: If this was 2007 they would have the best team in hockey. Yet unfortunately Jagr and Whitney won’t be putting up huge numbers, sure they will help, but they won’t be enough to get this team the handful of points that will separate most teams in the West. Now if they can get Jamie Benn signed and playing soon then things could be different, but that seems like it will be a bit of a protracted battle for reasons that defy logic.

9. Minnesota Wild: On July 4 when Parise and Suter were signed it seemed like everyone was ready to plan the parade dubbing them the Miami Heat of Hockey. Now that things have calmed down a bit this team is not quite as good as the hype leads one to believe. One must remember that they were worse than the Blue Jackets after New Year’s last year and adding two player won’t turn a bad team to champions. Sure they have some very good young players coming in like Mikael Granlund and Charlie Coyle, but those take time. This team will be a Western Conference powerhouse soon enough but it won’t be yet. The new players may have some difficulty adjusting to the system which will give them a bit of a slow start which will cost them a few points in the very close Western Conference.

8. Edmonton Oilers: Is this finally the time for this squad to get there? They have been bad for so long and have such a strong collection of talent that it’s only natural that they take the jump soon. Sure goaltending is a big question and the defense is a little shaky but the young player should benefit from the back-to-back games and most of this team has been dominating the AHL for the past few months so chemistry should not be an issue. Of course they won’t last too long in the playoffs, but there is a lot of reason to be excited in Oil Town.

7. Detroit Red Wings: This feels dirty doesn’t it? This team is clearly trending downward especially after losing one of the greatest defensemen of all time. For the first time in memory defense is a big weakness on this squad. Howard was very good last year and Gustavson has the potential for a bounce-back season so that should lesson some of their other shortcomings, obviously their forwards are world class but they are a little light on depth which should put them in a very unfamiliar spot at the middle of the pack.

6. Nashville Predators: Sure everyone wants to write them off after losing Ryan Suter, but let’s not forget that Shea Weber is still there. This team has the best defensemen in the world, one of the best coaches, and one of the top goalies. Let’s also not forget that this team scored the eighth most goals in the league last season without any big names up front. This is a squad that bounces back year after year, expect this to be no different.

5. Chicago Blackhawks: This team is pretty much the same as it was last year, high-level top talent, average depth, and questionable goaltending. Last year they were able to finish 6th, but three points out of 4th so there’s little reason to think that they won’t be in the same place especially if Patrick Kane is able to recover from an off year.

4. Phoenix Coyotes: Let’s see, they won their division and made it to the Conference finals after everyone counted them out. This year, everyone is counting them out again and they bring back the same pieces. Mike Smith was spectacular in the playoffs last year and should solidify his position as a top level goalie this year.

3. Vancouver Canucks: This is all contingent on how the goaltending situation resolves itself. If they trade Luongo for some top level talent they could easily finish first in the West, but as it stands now their prospects are not so bright. Currently they don’t have a second line as both Booth and Kesler are out with long term injuries and Jason Garrison seems like a flash in the pan last year. Of course they are still better than the bad (but improving) teams in their division. This seems to be their last chance to win, and sadly it doesn’t look like they will be able to do it.

2. Los Angeles Kings: They bring back the same roster that dominated the NHL last spring and are incredibly well rested. Not only should they win their pretty bad division with ease, they stand a very good chance of repeating as champions.

1. St. Louis Blues: There is no reason not to believe in this team right now. They are perhaps the deepest, most complete team in the NHL and with the rash of injuries that are bound to take place this year that’s incredibly important. They had two stellar goalies and can roll line after line of talented player. Last year was no aberration, this team is going to be a force in the West for a very long time.

 

As for the playoffs, the Blues should make short work of the Oilers while the Kings can pass the Wings in a tough series, expect Nashville to surprise the Canucks and the Blackhawks to get revenge on the Coyotes on the backs of a great Marian Hossa series and story. That leaves the Blues beating the Predators in a series that sees record low goals scored and the Kings rolling through the Blackhawks. St. Louis should get revenge on LA for sweeping them last year to move onto the finals where they lose to the Penguins. That’s right, Crosby hoists the Cup again.

We can dream, can’t we?

May 07

How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Start Loving Sunbelt Hockey

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You can practically see the torches and pitchforks at the NHL head offices. For the first time in 16 years, and only the third time since the 1967 Expansion we do not have any Canadian teams playing past the first round. What’s worse the Final Four of the Western Conference features four of the worst kinds of teams, Southern teams.

You can feel the rage coming from North of the border, how can places that don’t get any snow appreciate *our* game? Add in to the fact that a team in DC is still playing, a team from Miami was one goal away from the second round, and Tampa Bay and San Jose both made deep playoff runs a year ago, and the game all Canadians love is under attack from some Great Southern Menace.

At the start of the season everything was looking great for Canadian teams. The Canucks were still considered Stanley Cup contenders, the Maple Leafs, Flames, and Canadiens were considered potential playoff teams, and the Oilers and Senators had a wealth of young talent that could break through in a few years time. But best a team was saved from the apathetic clutches of a failed Southern market and brought back to the True North Strong and Free to become, at the very least, the second favourite team of 35 million people in the Northern half of the continent.

Even better, the prospects going forward looked great. The team in Phoenix was still without an owner, with rumblings that teams in Miami, Columbus, and Long Island may need to look elsewhere, while they were building new NHL ready arenas in Quebec City and the Great Toronto Area. Maybe we could end up Making it Nine!

Well since then things have changed, dramatically. The Coyotes and Panthers won their division and improved their attendance, the Blue Jackets signed a new lease with the city of Columbus for roughly the next millenium, and the Islanders are almost certainly going to stay on Long Island, even if  they end up in Brooklyn.

Worst still the Oilers, the Leafs, and the Canadiens all finished in the bottom five in NHL Standings, the Calgary Flames predictably finished 9th, and after a late season collapse the Winnipeg Jets were unable to make the playoffs. Only the Canucks and Senators made the playoffs, with both bowing out in the first round.

Clearly this is not a good time for hockey north of the border. The Sunbelt is the new king of the NHL!

The truth is, this rage is misguided, misinformed, and fits an overly simplistic narrative.

For starters, this years playoffs have been wildly unpredictable. Who on earth would have imagined Vancouver, Pittsburgh and Boston all bowing out so early? These playoffs have been very flukey so far, and it’s foolish to react like this, especially when the last eight Cup finalists play in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois, British Columbia, and Massachusetts. With the warmest place among them being Vancouver, which only gets 3 cm more snow a year than St. Louis for the record. So to say that we are in an era of “Sunbelt Hockey” is looking at the trees and neglecting the forest.
Secondly, and most importantly: bemoaning Southern markets really should be passe. Despite failures in Atlanta, and hiccups in Phoenix, the Great Southern Migration of the 90s has mostly been successful. Nashville and San Jose consistently have very high attendance, and LA, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, and Florida have had their off-ice success tied to on-ice success, which is exactly what has happened in Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Boston in the past decade. But more importantly, the NHL has increased their media footprint – do you really think that NBC would have signed such a lucrative deal for 30 teams North of the Mason-Dixie line?
Many Canadians don’t remember ever becoming hockey fans, they just sort of were. Children cheer for the same team that their parents love. But what if their parents aren’t hockey fans? How can they find an entry point into this wonderful game?
My parents are not sports fans at all, so I entered the game a little late. My older half-sister was a big Montreal fan and the spring of ’93 got her more excited than words can describe. Between her joy over Montreal’s miracle run and the ’92 expansion into Ottawa, I was hooked. It certainly didn’t hurt that the playoffs the next year in ’94 were among the best in history, clearly those two years had a tremendous effect on an impressionable 10 and 11 year old.
Who knows, maybe this miracle run by the LA Kings, or the probably news that the Coyotes will stay in Phoenix could help some other kid get hooked, and what’s not to love about that? Sure they may never be able to hold a Winter Classic there, or they may not have the steep tradition related to the game, but it’s time that we share it with someone else.
Apr 29

NHL Playoffs: Another Pair of Idiots Guides to the 2nd Round

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Well that sure was a strange first round, wasn’t it? Between the approximately 312 goals scored by Philadelphia and the 9 scored by St. Louis, Nashville, LA, and Phoenix combined, we saw it all. The first week had an insane amount of violence, but then things calmed down. We saw more overtime games that you could possibly imagine and the two favourites for the Stanley Cup are golfing while the Phoenix Coyotes are playing the latest games in the history of their franchise.

After the first round, Glen, Troy and the Coin all had some struggles., with the standings coming out as follows:

In third place we had the coin who correctly predicted series wins for the Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils, St. Louis Blues, and the Nashville Predators, we have the coin!

In 2nd place, correctly guessing…err prognosticating the Rangers, Devils, Blues, and Predators all winning, with an extra point coming for going with the Rangers 7 game victory bringing his point total to 5 is the proprietor of this blog, Glen!

And in first place with a 5-3 record based on correct predictions for the Rangers, Devils, Blues, Coyotes, and Predators, plus correctly predicting the series length for the St. Louis Blues is Troy! Like the Western Conference we seem to be having a changing of the guard here.

For the next round we’ve got the following Predictions…

WESTERN CONFERENCE

#2 St. Louis Blues vs. #8 Los Angeles Kings

Remember after Michael Leighton made it to the finals and everyone kept saying that you don’t need goaltending to win? Well look at the roughly 712 shutouts that these two teams combined for this year and start to think again. As the Vancouver Canucks can attest to, the Kings are not a typical eighth seed, but the Blues looked damn scary in their last trip to California. After seeing records set in Philly-Pittsburgh last round for offense, expect records to be set for defense here.

Troy Says: In the West goaltending was king in the first round. All four Western Conference teams have amazing goaltending so with that in mind it’s most likely going to come down to good offence, or inversely, poor defence.  St. Louis is a young team with exceptional talent. Everything is coming together for them at the right time. However, keep in mind that the team they beat in the first round was San Jose….the chokingest team…..ever?!  If you look at what the Kings did in the first round it’s quite impressive. Los Angeles knocked out the defending Western Conference Champs and President’s trophy winners in 5 games. And you can’t even blame it on Luongo! This leads me to believe that at the end of the day, LA is the better team. LA has been on this precipice for a number of years now. Everyone was wondering when they were going to get over the hump and start making some noise and with the addition of a guy like Richards I believe this is their time.

Most Interesting Story: Could it be anything other than goaltending and defense? These were the two best defensive teams in the league during the regular season with the Blues allowing 165 goals and the Kings allowing 179.

Most Interesting Statistic: Despite these two teams sharing a Conference for most of their existence, they have only met in the playoffs twice before. The Blues swept the Kings in the 1969 Western Division final to earn their second straight trip to the finals, and again in 1998 to advance to the second round.

Glen’s Prediction: St. Louis Blues in 6 games with around 15 total goals scored.
Troy’s Prediction: I’ll take LA in 6.
Coin’s Prediction: LA in 7
#3 Phoenix Coyotes vs. Nashville Predators
Remember after Michael Leighton made it to the finals and everyone kept saying that you don’t need goaltending to win? Oh wait, we’ve already made that point? Well it’s further underscored here as we have two of the most impressive goalies in the first round. These two teams match up very well, they both have stellar defense, intelligent coaches, gargantuan goaltenders, and were both almost forced to move to Hamilton. Expect this series to be insanely close.
Troy Says: This series seems somewhat identical to St. Louis vs LA. They are both young teams with exception goalies and this as well will be a very tight series. I find this one a tough one to call. In my eye the Preds had the more impressive first round knocking out the Wings in 5 games whereas it took Phoenix 6 games to take out the Hawks. Nashville is lead with one of the toughest blue lines in the league and their ageless coach has this team firing on all cylinders. The Coyotes are in brand new territory and as such this is the first time this franchise has made it past the first round since the move from Winnipeg. From that I can figure that Nashville has the edge in experience and with two youngish teams that can make a large difference. This will be a close series but I’m going with Nashville.
Most Interesting Story: Offense. When Radim Vrbata is the closest this series have to a game-breaking forward, then it’s curious to all it an interesting matchup. Yet somehow, someway this year, the Predators are Top 10 in the NHL in Goals For and Number One in the Power Play. With everything else so close between these two teams, expect the ability to put pucks in a net, even if it is by committee, to be the deciding factor.

Most Interesting Statistic: The only time either of these teams won more than four games in a single playoff was last year when the Predators won six.
 
Glen’s Prediction: Nashville in 7 games with both teams combining for three shutouts.
Troy’s Prediction: Preds in 7
Coin Says: Predators in 4
EASTERN CONFERENCE
#1 New York Rangers vs. #7 Washington Capitals
These two teams survived Game 7 scares to make it to this point. This is their third playoff showdown in the last four years, with the Capitals taking the previous two as the favourite, the roles are reversed this time around. Will the results also be?
Troy Says:  Well….I picked Washington to fall flat on their faces against Boston and I was dead wrong. I sincerely didn’t think they had a shot at all. But notice who was, or better yet, who wasn’t, leading this team. It wasn’t Ovechkin; it was Matt Hendricks. This guy was everything for Washington in the first round. I find it interesting that Ovie has taken a bit of a back seat with this team and it hasn’t hurt them in the least. On the New York side, they shows some balls in coming back against Ottawa to win in 7 but as a number one seed against the number 8 seed they should have never been in that position to begin with. This team has made some major strides this year but nonetheless I think they can be beaten. I’m ready to put some faith in the Caps in this round. They severely impressed me with their play against the defending champs and they deserve some credit for that.

Most Interesting Story: Coaching.  Both teams have high end offensive players but are choosing to play a defense-first style. Tortorella has made the Rangers are kings of blocking shots, and Dale Hunter has somehow convinced Ovechkin and Semin that a 1-4 system is better than no system at all. Perhaps the winner of this series will come down to who lets their horses out of the barn at the right moment.
Most Interesting Statistic: Alexander Ovechkin has seen as many NHL Game 7s as Madison Square Garden.
Glen’s Prediction: Rangers get revenge by winning in 5
Troy’s Prediction: Capitals in 5
Coin’s Prediction:  Capitals in 5
#5 Philadelphia Flyers vs. #6 New Jersey Devils
The Patrick Division lives!!!! These two teams have long been geographic rivals, and will renew their hostilities once more. This series should be a very good once as it is the only one of the four series to feature two teams with over 100 points, and both of them were lower seeds last round. The Flyers used great forechecking and the stretch pass last round, but will it work against the team that quite literally wrote the book on positional defense?
Troy’s Prediction: New Jersey has run into a powerhouse in this round and I can’t wait to see the slaughter. Brodeur, as much as I love him, is not the goalie he used to be. Combine that with the fact that Philly averaged approximately 30 goals per game against Pittsburgh in the first round and this series may not be pretty for Marty’s GAA. New Jersey is going to try and trap like they always do and Philly is going to blow right through it.
Most Interesting Story:  Goaltending! Last round Ilya Bryzgalov was bad, but was able to escape criticisms based on the fact that Marc-Andre Fleury was worse. Martin Brodeur was very inconsistent  last round, and you have to wonder how much gas he has left in the tank. Both goalies should be on short leashes in this round. The Flyers were not afraid to run and gun last round, but you have to wonder if it will work so well this time.
Most Interesting Statistic: These two teams have met four times before in the playoffs, the winning team has gone on to win the Stanley Cup twice and lose in the finals one other time.
Bonus statistic: Despite advancing to the second round for the first time in his career, teams with Ilya Kovalchuk have a record of 5-11 in postseason games.
Glen’s Prediction: Flyers in 6
Troy’s Prediction: Flyers in 4
Coin’s Prediction:  New Jersey in 7
Quick Picks for the Third and Fourth Rounds:
Glen Says:
Predators over Blues in 6
Rangers over Flyers in 5
Predators over Rangers in 6 to win the Cup and send Canadians rioting. Rinne for Conn Smythe.
Troy Says:
LA over Nashville in 7
Philly over the Caps in 6.
Philly over LA in 5. Giroux with the Conn Smythe.
Coin Says:
Nashville over LA in 6
New Jersey over Washington in 7
New Jersey over Nashville in 7
That would be poetic after all of the relocation rumours from ’95, wouldn’t it be?
Apr 25

The Reshaping Western Conference

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Well who the hell saw this coming?

 The Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings, San Jose Sharks, and Chicago Blackhawks represent every Western Conference finalist since 2009, and all but two since 2007, and now they are all golfing. Three of those four teams bowing out in a paltry five games, while Chicago needed approximately 600 Overtime Periods to last one longer than their former Main Event competitors.
None of the Los Angeles Kings, Nashville Predators, Phoenix Coyotes, or St. Louis Blues have won the Stanley Cup and we are already guaranteed that one of them will have a shot at their first title. If that isn’t shocking enough, remember that the Coyotes and Predators have never been to the Cup Finals, or even past the second round before. The Blues made the Cup finals in their first three years of existence, going 0-12 in the process, the NHL got so tired of those lopsided series that they moved the Blackhawks into the Western Division right after in order to have a not terrible team in the finals. The Kings are the most recent franchise to end up getting a shot at the Cup, and their one and only chance came 19 years ago when a certain Mr. Gretzky was their captain, and this was only their second series win since losing out to the Canadiens in ’93.
What’s more interesting than the changes in the West, is how all four teams have taken very different paths to get here. The Coyotes have one team comprised almost entirely of castoffs and beating the entire world. The Predators have slowly and patiently been building to this moment for most of the decade. The Kings underachieved for most of the season before making an incredibly bold move in February and peaking at the right time. The Blues have been a team poised to break-through “someday” only to show everyone that someday is in fact, today.
If there’s one thing we can learn from this, is that there is no one way to build a team in today’s NHL, no matter how often GMs look to copy one another. All you need is vision, commitment and hard-work. Oh, all world goaltending doesn’t hurt, does it? Did you catch that one Burkie?
Apr 10

NHL Playoffs: Another Idiot’s Opinions on Every Series in the Western Conference – UPDATED

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock and/or are in Phoenix, you must be getting excited about the NHL Playoffs. The first round starts on Wednesday with some pretty exciting games.

Every series has a fascinating storyline or two coming through. How about DeBoer coaching his old team? How about Jonathan Quick’s potential to Halak a series win here? How about the Predators arriving on the big stage? And let’s not even get started on Philly-Pittsburgh, which will be the absolute main event of this round!

I’ll do my best to project every series in advance, and I’m pretty certain that I’ll be wrong. I’ll flip a 1 Jiao coin (0.1 Yuan) and see it no doubt beat me. This post will feature the Western Conference, tomorrow we can look at the East and the finals.

UPDATE – April 11: We’ve also been blessed to have the thoughts of our very good friend Troy. Followers of my old blog will certainly remember his hockey related thoughts.

#1 Vancouver Canucks vs. #8 Los Angeles Kings

This series is not the mismatch that you may expect out of a 1-8 matchup. The Canucks are a two-time President’s Trophy Winner, and reigning Western Conference Champions. The Kings were fantastic down the stretch, save those two games with the Sharks and Ryan Clowe’s stick from the bench.

Most Interesting Story: This story will be all about three men, Jonathan Quick, Roberto Luongo, and Cory Schneider. If there is anyone out there who could pull a Halak, it’s Jonathan Quick. He’s long been overlooked and underrated, but it’s safe to say that he’s arrived this year. His 10 Shutouts and 1.95 GAA is borderline otherworldly. Luongo’s meltdowns against Chicago and Boston were eye opening and every bad goal he has is going to get everyone looking at the bench to see if Alain Vigneaut is going to bring out the hook. Nobody in the playoffs is under more pressure than Roberto and it’ll be fascinating to see how he preforms.

Most Interesting Statistic: The Canucks scored 54 more goals than the Kings this year, the biggest difference of any series. Of course, Jeff Carter is returning from an ankle injury and who knows anything about Daniel Sedin’s concussion.

Official Prediction: Canucks in 7 with Schneider winning games six and seven

Coin Says: Canucks in 6

Troy Says: This could be an interesting series. In my mind Vancouver isn’t as strong as they were last year, and LA is stronger than they were last year so this is hardly a typical 1 vs 8 matchup. Having said that though I believe Vancouver is stronger mentally and although LA is a team just waiting to explode, I don’t think this is their year just yet. Make no mistake though, Jonathan Quick is entirely capable of stealing this series. Luongo is going to have a short leash and if LA’s goaltending is better than Vancouver’s then this will not be a fun series for Canucks fans. Fortunately for Vancouver Luongo tends to choke later on in the playoffs so I’m sure for now he’ll be good enough.

Vancouver in 6.

#2 St. Louis Blues vs. #7 San Jose Sharks

I scribbled down my playoff predictions at the start of the year, which was lost, and I do think that I had these two facing off in the 2-7 seed. Now before I pat myself on the back, it was the other way around, the powerhouse #2 Sharks against the upstart #7 Blues. Funny how things change. These two teams have been incredibly surprising, for insanely different reasons.

Most interesting story:  It’s been said many, many times that life is managing your expectations. The expectations for this series are fascinating. Somewhere the Blues became a Cup Contender (or did they?) and the Sharks became the plucky underdog. The Sharks haven’t been a lower seed in the playoffs in years, and haven’t been a true underdog in even longer. Everyone who was watching hockey in the mid to late 90s remembers their huge upsets over the likes of the Detroit Red Wings, Calgary Flames, and yes even the St. Louis Blues. Can they do it again? On the other hand, the Blues have won a ton of games against teams that overlook them. How on earth will they perform as heavy favourites?

Most Interesting Statistic: Both teams has stellar home records. The Sharks were 26-12-3 at the Shark Tank this year, which has the fifth best home record in the Western Conference. One of those teams ahead of them? Why the St. Louis Blues who were a stunning 30-6-5 at home. The Sharks played 0.500 hockey on enemy soil and the Blues weren’t much better. The Sharks will need to pull out at least one road win in order to advance, and the Blues will be looking to the same to make this a quick series.

Official Prediction: Blues in 6 with Game 6 being their only road win of the series

Coin Says: Sharks in 4

Troy Says: St. Louis has been a monster of a team this year and in fact came very close to beating out Vancouver for the President’s Trophy. Their goaltending tandem of Elliot and Halak has been stellar and their young guns are extremely good. As for San Jose it’s really hard for me to see them going far in the playoffs because….well…let’s face it…they usually choke. I don’t think they’ll choke this year but unfortunately they’re up against a really strong team. San Jose was winless against the Blues in the season series and in fact only scored three goals in those games so it’s going to be a tough road for the Sharks.

St. Louis in 5

#3 Phoenix Coyotes vs. #6 Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks may be back. They won the Stanley Cup in 2010, were forced to dismantle and barely made the playoffs last year. They spent a very good portion of the fall and early winter near the top of the Conference before dropping down for a bit in February, before putting it on at the end. There were very low expectations for the Coyotes this year, but once again they surpassed them by a mile. The last two years the off-ice distractions got the better of them, will it happen again?

Most interesting story:  For approximately the 412th straight year, the story is the same. Will this be the last time the Coyotes play in Phoenix? It seems all but set that they will be on the move. Don’t expect there to be any announcement until after they’ve been eliminated, the NHL needs those home dates after all.

Most Interesting Statistic: Both of these teams come in very hot! These two teams have a combined 13-2-5 in their last 10 games.

Official Prediction: Blackhawks in 7 with all four games in Phoenix as sellouts with crazy crowds

Coin Says: Blackhawks in 5

Troy Says:  This is a bit of a pick em series for me. It’s 3 vs 6 series but Chicago finished the season with more points than Phoenix so it’s hard to say who the better team is. The big equalizer is Mike Smith. He’s been lights out this season but if Chicago were to get Toews back before the end of this series watch out. He makes them a better team and could be the difference. Chicago has some game breakers on their roster but if Mike Smith keeps to his regular season form this series will turn into a battle of attrition.

Phoenix in 7.

#4 Nashville Predators vs. #5 Detroit Red Wings

This is the clear marquee match in the West, Weber vs. Lidstrom, Trotz vs. Babcock, Swedish vs. Russian forwards. This series is going to be a ton of fun and should flat out be a war.

Most interesting story:  This series is clearly Old vs. New. Both teams are clearly very good, but also clearly heading in opposite directions on the trendline. The Predators are looking to make their maiden voyage to the promised land, while the Wings are looking to get there one last time. Other then ages, these two teams are very similar, great defense, phenomenal coaching, and scoring by committee, so the Master vs. Student vibe should carry over well.

Most Interesting Statistic: The Nashville Predators have played 40 playoff games as a franchise. Niklas Lidstrom has played over six times as much, clocking in at 258 heading into this postseason.

Official Prediction: Nashville in 6 with Rinne stealing at least one game, and three games heading to overtime

Coin Says: Detroit in 6

Troy Says:  We’ve seen this series before but I don’t think Nashville has ever been the higher seed. When’s the last time Detroit went into a series as the underdog? It’s hard to think of Detroit in that way but that’s what they are. Especially after Radulov came back. He changes everything. He’s another major weapon that Nashville can use against the Wings. Nashville has been the more consistent team while Detroit – even though they won a record 23 games in a row at home – comes into the playoffs with a lot of questions. Having said that though, how hard is it to bet against Detroit in the playoffs? They’re the anti-San Jose Sharks! I believe this is Nashville’s series though. It may take them every home game, but I think they’ll get it done.

Nashville in 7

Quick Picks: The 2nd and 3rd Rounds

Glen’s Predictions:

Vancouver Canucks over Chicago Blackhawks in seven emotional games

Nashville Predators over St. Louis Blues in seven hellacious games

Canucks defeat the Predators in six to advance to the finals

Troy’s Predictions:

Vancouver over Nashville in 5
St. Louis over Phoenix in 7
Van over St. L in 5

Coin Says:

Vancouver over San Jose in seven

Detroit over Chicago in six

Detroit over Vancouver in five

Tune in tomorrow for the East and the finals!

Apr 09

Historical Stats for the Sixteen Playoff Bound Teams

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With the NHL Playoffs scheduled to start tomorrow, everyone and their mothers are throwing playoff predictions out there (expect some on here tomorrow by the way…), but before that, we should learn a bit about the sixteen teams headed to the big dance.

In this blog, we’ll look at some strange historical statistics for every team. Obviously not every team has an equal history — we’re looking at you Nashville — but there are some interesting and rather bizarre stats out there.

All stats come from Wikipedia, most of them from the List of [Insert Team Here] Seasons.

Boston Bruins: The Bruins and the Canadiens seem to need each other in a Batman-Joker kind of way — we’ll leave you to figure out which team is which comic book character. Dating all the way back to the Bruins inaugural season in 1924, they have only made the playoffs seven times previous to this when the Habs missed out. Of those times, they won the Stanley Cup once in 1970, lost in the second round once in 1999, and lost in the first round the other five of those times. They’ll look to buck that trend and not join the Canadiens on the golf course this time.

Chicago Blackhawks: Since losing the Stanley Cup Finals in 1992 to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Blackhawks have only won nine playoff series, six of which came in 2009 and 2010!

Detroit Red Wings: If making the playoffs the past twenty seasons wasn’t impressive enough, they have only lost in the first round six of those times, with three of those loses coming in the first four years of this streak.

Florida Panthers: Since defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 1, 1996 in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Florida Panthers are 1-12 in playoff games.

Los Angeles Kings: Since making it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1993, the Kings have made the playoffs only six times, and were only able to win one playoff series, and that was eleven years ago now!

Ottawa Senators: The Senators have made the playoffs 12 times in their history. Nine of those times they were defeated by either the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, or Pittsburgh Penguins. Oddly those other three loses came in mile stone series for them. First trip to the second round, defeated by the Capitals. First trip to the third round, defeated by the Devils. First trip to the finals, defeated by the Ducks.

Pittsburgh Penguins: The last time the Pittsburgh Penguins lost a playoff series when they had Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jordan Staal all in their lineups was the 2008 finals to the Detroit Red Wings.

Philadelphia Flyers: The franchise has lost their last six trips to the Stanley Cup finals (1975, 1980, 1985, 1987,1997, 2010), which ties the Detroit Red Wings six finals loses from 1956 to 1995 for longest streak in NHL history.

Nashville Predators: Last year, the Preds won six playoff games. In their previous five trips to the post-season, they won a total of eight.

New Jersey Devils: Despite going 2-5 in playoff series since the Lockout, the Devils are a stunning 22-17 in playoff series dating back to their miracle run in 1998.

New York Rangers: In the six previous times that the Rangers lead their division in the regular season, they tended to not do very well in the post-season. They were only able to win two rounds of the playoffs once during those years.

Bonus Stat: 87% of people said “94″ aloud after reading the last paragraph.

Phoenix Coyotes: The last time this franchise won a playoff series, Sidney Crosby was in his mothers womb. In the past 25 years, they have blown a 3-1 series lead three times, a 3-2 series lead once, and lost another game seven. This gives them a streak of 12 consecutive failed attempts to close out a series

San Jose Sharks: Their 21 seasons without a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals is second only to the Phoenix Coyotes/Winnipeg Jets 1.0 for longest of any active franchise in the league.

St. Louis Blues: Like the Panthers, the Blues are in a very long playoff slump. Since winning Game 4 against the Vancouver Canucks on April 16, 2003, the Blues have been an abysmal 1-11 in the playoffs since then.

Vancouver Canucks: Since the NHL assumed control of the Stanley Cup in 1926, the losing finalist has only ever won the Cup the next year six times, the ’33 Rangers, ’43 Red Wings, ’53 and ’68 Canadiens, ’84 Oilers, and ’09 Penguins. Being a true Canadian team, the ’12 Canucks would like to Make it Seven.

Washington Capitals: This franchise has blown a 3-1 series lead four times, tops of any team in the league.

 

Mar 17

Are the St. Louis Blues a Legit Cup Contender?

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The St. Louis Blues are somehow, someway tied for the points lead this year. Back in October, had anyone said that the Blues would be in contention for the President’s Trophy, they would have been mocked. The Blues were considered one of those teams that would be able to be slotted in somewhere in the 6-12 slot in the West, but this is nothing short of remarkable.

Now that they are the first team in the league to clinch a playoff spot, the important questions remains. How will they do when they get there?

The favourites this year seem to be the Vancouver Canucks, the Detroit Red Wings, the New York Rangers, , the Nashville Predators and the Pittsburgh Penguins. So why not the Blues?

Their goaltending is clearly up to snuff. They are the first time in NHL history to have two goalies with six shutouts in the same season. Brian Elliott has some obvious questions about his ability to do well in the playoffs, but if you have questions about Jaroslav Halak, ask Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby what 2010 was like for them.

Their defense has been very stellar, as they currently have the fewest goals against of any team in the league. Sure the aforementioned goaltending has an impact on that, but it is foolish to give none of the credit to the likes of Pietrangelo and Shattenkirk.

The biggest knock on them seems to be their lack of experience. The Blues are one of the younger teams in the league, and young teams rarely win the Cup, especially if they don’t have someone like Crosby or Toews in that young mix. But they do have a few Cup rings from the likes of Andy MacDonald, Jason Arnott, and Jamie Langenbrunner, all of which played very significant roles on their Cup winning teams. Let’s not forget Ken Hitchcock’s ring from 1999.

Recent history seems to show that teams need at least one deep run under their belts to win it all. Four of the past five Cup winners have made it to at least the Conference Finals the year before they win. The one exception was last years Bruins who had two previous second round loses, including the biggest collapse ever against the Flyers in 2010. This core of Blues players has made it to the playoffs once, and were swept in 2009 to the Canucks.

This team seems like they haven’t been tested enough in the playoffs to pull through this year. They do seem like a very good bet to win one and maybe two rounds this time. After the first round they would probably get Detroit or Nashville in the second round, which would be a struggle for them. They could luck out with an early upset and get a soft second round opponent, but no matter how bad the Canucks are playing right now, they could still out-do the Blues in seven games.

The Blues have been a great Cinderella story this year, but we are getting closer to midnight every day.

Mar 03

The Most Intriguing Possible Playoff Matches

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With around 15 games left in the regular season, the playoffs are really starting to take shape. If the playoffs started today we would get some pretty intriguing matchups including a Keystone Showdown, the Jets returning to the playoffs to take on the Rangers, St. Louis and Nashville in a defensive showdown, and Detroit taking on San Jose for the third straight year.  But few tell truly captivating stories.

In this post, we will look at the most intriguing realistic first round matchups. Sure we would all love to see Calgary and Edmonton somehow play, or Ottawa to get a chance at removing the Maple Leaf shaped monkey off their back, but those seem rather unlikely at this stage.

So that leaves us with…

Vancouver Canucks vs. Chicago Blackhawks

The Canucks seem like a lock for either first or second in the West yet again this year. Up until a few months ago, the Hawks seemed like they could finish in the top five, or top six at worst. Well it seems to have gotten worse, and the Hawks are on a bit of a downslide, making seventh or eighth a certain possibility. This could be the fourth straight year we get Kane vs. Loungo, and it would give the Canucks a chance to even the series. On paper the Hawks are better this year, but the Canucks aren’t too bad themselves. Given how close the Hawks were to pulling of a miracle last year, I’m sure that people in Vancouver are having Chelsea Dagger dreams at the thought of having to go through this again.

Speaking of the Blackhawks…

Detroit Red Wings vs. Chicago Blackhawks

Original six matchups are always fun, and these two teams have probably the fiercest O6 rivalry that doesn’t involve the Montreal Canadiens. Back in 2009 this Chicago core was ousted in the Conference final to the defending champion Red Wings. I’m sure that Toews, Kane, et al would love to get vengeance for that.

Two of the Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators

This may be a cheater pick, but it would be interesting no matter what. Two of these Central Division rivals are sure to meet in the Western Conference 4-5 matchup. All three teams feel, quite rightly, that they have a shot at a deep playoff run this year. It’s a pitty that the NHL seeding system will prevent one of them from that. Worse still, whoever wins that 4-5 showdown will most certainly be so beat up that they’ll be picked off in the next round.

Moving East…

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers

This seems to be the most likely matchup possible and it’s pretty damn interesting. Like the 4-5 matchup in the West, both of these teams are legitimate contenders, so it is a shame that only one will make it past the first round. What makes this more interesting are both teams concussed captains. Will Pronger or Crosby even play? How effective will they be? Both teams have a reputation for being rough which could make it hard for someone recovering from a concussion to get involved.

New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals

The last two times the Rangers made the playoffs, they were a low seed playing the indestructible higher seed Capitals. This year, those same Capitals look to limp their way into the eighth seed and face the indestructible higher seed Rangers. Both teams are more or less the same teams that they were in 2009 and 2011, which would certainly make this a very heated affair.

Florida Panthers vs. Ottawa Senators

Imagine the money you could have made betting that this would be a first round matchup in October? These teams were pegged for the bottom two spots in the East, and could very well face off in the 3-6 series in a showdown of the leagues two most surprising teams.

Winnipeg Jets vs. Ottawa Senators

The NHL’s return to Winnipeg has been like a fairy tale to the people of Manitoba. If the Jets are able to make the playoffs it will be a way to push the clock past midnight. The Jets have an outside chance of winning the Southeast Division, which would guarantee them the third seed, and potentially a date with the sixth seed Senators. The Jets making the playoffs would be great, but to have them give us our first all-Canadian matchup since 2004 would be down right legendary.